EMERGING MARKETS-Singapore dollar gains after cenbank holds fire, Indonesian bond yields rise

  • 4/14/2021
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* Singapore dollar up 0.3% * South Korea"s won firms nearly a percent * Indonesian stocks gain 1.5% By Sameer Manekar April 14 (Reuters) - Singapore"s dollar strengthened on Wednesday after its central bank kept monetary policy settings unchanged on better-than-expected economic growth, while benchmark Indonesian bond yields firmed after an auction. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), which manages monetary policy through exchange-rate settings, rather than interest rates, left its accommodative policy stance unchanged on Wednesday, as expected. The MAS now expects growth in the country"s economy to exceed the upper end of the official forecast range of 4%-6%, after preliminary data showed an economic growth of 0.2% year-on-year for the first quarter. That pushed the local dollar up as much as 0.3% to S$1.3370, its highest in nearly six weeks. "Confirmation that the MAS has an improved outlook has raised the possibility that it could undo some of the easing — perhaps as soon as October — if economic conditions strengthen," analysts at Singapore bank DBS said. "All in, this puts downward pressure on SGD rates relative to USD rates. In level terms, however, we still see SGD rates tracking USD rates broadly higher over the medium term." In Indonesia, the government raised 24.23 trillion rupiah ($1.66 billion) at a bi-weekly bonds auction on Tuesday, sending benchmark 10-year yields up 4.7 basis points to 6.57%. "The issue of such a large amount — which is about six-and-a-half times the previous sale amount — is likely to be a trigger for the bonds," said Kunal Kundu, an economist with Societe Generale. Jakarta stocks gained after three consecutive days of losses, jumping as much as 1.5% in their best session in more than a month. Meanwhile, a Reuters poll showed Indonesia"s trade surplus narrowed in March on rising imports. Among other currencies, the U.S. dollar fell to a three-week low after data showed U.S. consumer prices gained slightly more than expected in March, which investors read as a transitory rise rather than a sign of an overheating economy. As a result, most emerging Asian currencies strengthened. The South Korean won firmed as much as 0.9%, while the Malaysian ringgit and the Philippine peso added 0.2% each. A Reuters poll projects the Bank of Korea is expected to keep its interest rates unchanged on Thursday amid signs of solid economic recovery. Markets in India and Thailand were closed for a holiday. HIGHLIGHTS: ** S. Korea"s most liquid 3-year treasury bond yield fall 3.4 basis points to 1.105% ** Banks top gainers in Indonesia; Bank Central Asia up about 4% ** India"s second wave of coronavirus poses credit-negative threat - Moody"s Asia stock indexes and currencies at 0628 GMT COUNTRY FX RIC FX FX INDE STOCK STOCK DAILY YTD X S S YTD % % DAILY % % Japan +0.20 -5.1 <.N2 -0.44 7.93 4 25> China 3 EC> India 0.00 -2.6 <.NS 0.00 3.74 6 EI> Indones +0.00 -3.8 <.JK 1.45 0.57 ia 4 SE> Malaysi +0.15 -2.5 <.KL -0.12 -1.93 a 9 SE> Philipp +0.19 -0.9 <.PS 1.01 -8.63 ines 5 I> S.Korea 4 11> Singapo +0.33 -1.1 <.ST -0.28 11.78 re 8 I> Taiwan +0.07 +0.1 <.TW 0.24 14.48 3 II> Thailan 0.00 -4.8 <.SE 0.00 6.33 d 6 TI> ($1 = 14,600.0000 rupiah) (Reporting by Sameer Manekar in Bengaluru; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Uttaresh.V)

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